Antonio Conte’s sabbatical has not removed him from the Italian game’s long-term conversation. The former Napoli coach has spoken of wanting to revive a club that has lost contact with its own history, a description that naturally brings Milan and Juventus into view as both institutions try to recover the standards of earlier eras.
Key takeaways
- Conte has said that his next challenge should be with a club needing its past to be restored.
- Milan had previously passed over Conte, first when Paulo Fonseca replaced Stefano Pioli and again during the later management clear-out.
- Gerry Cardinale chose Ruben Amorim to lead Milan after Tare, Massimiliano Allegri and Geoffrey Moncada were dismissed.
- A successful spell at Milan would give Conte the possibility of becoming the first coach to win major honours with Juventus, Inter and the Rossoneri.
- Juventus remain another emotional possibility for a man who was both captain and coach in Turin.
- Conte recently attended Milan’s Europa League meeting with Benfica at San Siro.
A coach who leaves little room for doubt
Conte has never been a manager inclined towards constant public appearances. During his two years in Naples, local journalists often noted the limited number of press conferences, with some cancelled altogether. Yet when he does speak, he tends to make his professional intentions clear rather than hide behind safe language.
That was evident when the possibility of his return to the Italy national team emerged, with Beppe Marotta backing his candidacy to succeed Gennaro Gattuso. Speaking at Castel Volturno, Conte made his position unmistakable: “If I were the next FIGC president, I would consider myself.” It was a pointed declaration from a coach ready to return to that particular stage.
Now, having opted for a year away from the touchline to recharge, Conte has offered another indication of what he wants next. “I would like to join a club that has lost sight of its history and make it shine again,” he explained. In Italy, there are few clubs whose present uncertainty and historic weight fit that description as closely as Milan and Juventus.
Milan carries an obvious sporting attraction. Conte already has title-winning history with Juventus and Inter; if he were to take charge of the Rossoneri and succeed, he would become the first coach to triumph with all three of those traditional powers. The club’s years since the Berlusconi era have been marked by repeated attempts to rebuild, rather than a settled return to its former standing.
There have also been previous moments when the paths appeared capable of meeting. After Stefano Pioli’s departure, alongside the exits of Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara, Milan eventually appointed Paulo Fonseca despite strong support among supporters and commentators for Conte, who was available at the time. Cristian Stellini, Conte’s assistant, even made the coach’s interest in the Milan post public during a television appearance.
More recently, when Cardinale ordered a sweeping change that saw Tare, Allegri and Moncada leave, Conte was ruled out firmly, with the message being that Milan would appoint a foreign coach. Cardinale subsequently selected Amorim, another Portuguese appointment, to direct the club’s new course.
Turin remains part of Conte’s story
Juventus offer a different kind of pull. Their current season has carried many of the same tensions felt at Milan: a major club searching urgently for the authority and success that once seemed routine. The difference lies in the financial route taken to reach that point. While Elliott and then RedBird kept Milan’s accounts under control, Juventus’ owning family has invested €1.2 billion into the club without managing to reverse the broader decline.
Luciano Spalletti’s standing as a coach has not stopped Conte’s name from retaining a particular resonance around Juventus. He remains a figure deeply connected to the club as a former captain and former manager, and his possible return continues to appeal both to a wide section of supporters and to members of the old leadership group.
Conte is not presenting himself as a man in a hurry. His visit to San Siro for Milan’s Europa League match against Benfica showed that he is still watching the highest-level occasions closely. Turin, meanwhile, is a place where he needs little introduction: he knows the club’s inner workings, and a dinner in the city would be enough to bring him up to date on every fresh development at Continassa.
